Tucked away on a quiet, woodsy road near the Coast of Maine, I came upon a small abandoned cottage at the edge of a meadow. I purchased the house in June 2012 and immediately began renovating the home and nine acres of land. On April Fools' Day 2013, however, everything changed! Not only has my home been reconstructed almost overnight, I have as well! I invite you to join this experience with me as I journal about the miracles along the way.

Tuesday, November 27, 2012

The First Coat....

Yesterday was a busy day. We cleaned all the floors with a vacuum and tack-cloth, then Michael used his sheepskin mop to apply the first coat of urethane on the rest of the floors throughout the cottage. We will sand this coat tonight and then apply the second coat early tomorrow morning. I was only able to poke my head in the doors to get some photos.

This is a shot of the living room. That spot on the floor in front of the fireplace, has been left open so we can install the stones I have collected, thus creating a flat hearth. The rest of the wall around the fireplace will also be covered with stone.

Here is the the hall and a bit of the kitchen. (Those cupboards still have to be painted.)

Here is part of the entryway into the kitchen.

Here is the hall leading to the living room.

Yesterday I also got a cord of wood delivered, which had to be stacked before we started the floors. After this initial load of wood, I will never have to buy wood again because all the wood I have on the property will be cut and seasoned each year.

The duct work you see on the lawn is everything I uninstalled and pulled out of the basement the other day. The old furnace and oil tank are next to be removed.

On Sunday I took a morning hike up a nearby mountain with other nature enthusiasts and history buffs. Our guide, Rosey Gerry told us the story of the ill-fated Millerites, who climbed this same trail on October 22, 1844 to meet Jesus at the top. Because they believed the world was ending, they gave up their farms, their families and their friends, only to discover that they were wrong.

They suffered great humiliation and poverty afterward.

We also investigated cellar holes and abandoned homesteads along the way.

The views of course were spectacular. Here is Lake Megunticook in the distance.

I moved to Maine 28 years ago and since then I have been fortunate enough to own and renovate more than 14 houses and cottages. I have a passion for finding something that no one else seems to want and turning it into something that many admire. I have always had a love for gardening and decorating and decided it might be fun to share this passion with others. I hope you enjoy the photos and insights I will post here. Thanks for visiting.
Joy to You,
Carole